There are few artists that have had the success Taylor Swift has seen in her 24 years of life. With the music industry changing in new ways, the superstar takes to her trusty pen and paper to open up about what it means to be a modern artist, honing in on what she dubs her "love affair" with fans.

Swift spills her thoughts in an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal. She admits that to her, the music industry is not 'dying.' Instead, she says, "it's just coming alive."

While album sales are going down, the ever-motivated optimist who nabbed the only triple Platinum album of 2012 with 'Red,' says it should challenge artists to work harder, breaking through to an emotional level with fans that will hopefully translate into higher record sales.

And one thing Swift relies on to keep her fans close? Surprise. "I think forming a bond with fans in the future will come in the form of constantly providing them with the element of surprise. No, I did not say 'shock'; I said 'surprise.' I believe couples can stay in love for decades if they just continue to surprise each other, so why can't this love affair exist between an artist and their fans?" she asks.

Indeed, the 'Love Story' hitmaker looks at life through the lens of a romantic, from her personal love relationships, to her approach toward music and the millions of Swifties rooting for her.

She continues, "My generation was raised being able to flip channels if we got bored, and we read the last page of the book when we got impatient. We want to be caught off guard, delighted, left in awe. I hope the next generation's artists will continue to think of inventive ways of keeping their audiences on their toes, as challenging as that might be."

As times change and the world continues to modernize, Swift is accepting these shifts in stride. And that includes trading Sharpies for selfies. "There are a few things I have witnessed becoming obsolete in the past few years, the first being autographs," she explains. "I haven't been asked for an autograph since the invention of the iPhone with a front-facing camera. The only memento 'kids these days' want is a selfie. It's part of the new currency, which seems to be "how many followers you have on Instagram."

A day after being published, Swift's op-ed piece is the water cooler chatter in offices everywhere. Mark up this new venture as a columnist as another success for the singer.